Potato-digger



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. M. BAKER.

POTATO BIGGER. 1 110.431.311. Patented July 1,1890.

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2 Sheets-Sheet. 2.

(No Model.)

E. M. BAKER. l POIATO'DGGBR. `110,431,311. Patented Ju1y1,1890.

WITNEEEEE; NVENTM Q5/5MM @m W @JW UNiTEp STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERASTUS M. BAKER, OF LITTLE UTIOA, NEV YORK.

POTATO-DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 431,311, dated July 1,1890. Application filed March 27, 1889. Serial No. 305,006. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern,.-

Be 1t known that I, ERAsTUs M. BAKER, a

Vcitizen of the United States, and a resident of Little Utica, in thecounty of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Potato-Diggers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the construction of machines and apparatuscommonly called `potato-diggers, and which are designed to be drawn byhorses orother power.

The object of my invention is to produce such an agricultural implementwhich will more effectually operate net only to dig under the potatoes,but to disintegrate the earth in advance of and over the front end ofthe digging-scoop and separate the potatoes from the earth, and whichwill more easily break the earth in the rows or hills, and which willalso convey the earth, or partly convey it, upward onto and over thescoop.

lllyinveution consists in the several novel features of construction andof operation hereinafter describethand which are specifically set forthand claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure lis a side elevation of my improved potatodigger, the left wheeland driving chain beingoniitted. Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

A is the outer main frame, and the inner auxiliary frame.

l are the wheels, and l the axle by which the main frame is carried.Either integral with the wheels or mounted upon the axle and secured tothe wheels or to the axle are driving sprocket wheels or rings 2. Theauxiliary frame is pivotally mounted at its rear end upon the shaft 3,and at its forward end it is supported by the cable 4, which isconnected to the plate 5. This plate has a flange 5, around which thecable can lap, and a handle l5, by which the plate is rotated on a studor arbor 5b, projecting from a toothed plate 5c, secured to the frontend of the main frame. XV hen the handle is thrown forward, the frontend of the auxiliary frame is lowered, and when the handle is drawnbackward the front end is raised. Upon the shaft 3 I tix the outersprocket-wheels 7, located on the outside of the main frame.

8 are sprocket-chains working over the sprocket-wheels 2 and 7 andoperatin g to rotate the shaft 3. Upon this shaft I secure thechain-wheels 9.

Adjacent to the front end of the auxiliary frame I mount another shaft3, carrying chain-wheelsll. Over these chain-wheels is passed an endlessbelt l2, which is composed of the sprocket-chains 13 and cross-bars 14and 16.

'To the front bars let of each pair of bars are secured the hook-shapedteeth l5, which rest against the rear bars 16 and are supported thereby,especially when strain is applied to the points of the teeth, so thatthe teeth will always penetrate the ground to a sufficient depth.

Depending from the frame IS is the scoop 17, supported rigidly by thebars lS.

19 is a brace extending from a point adjacent to the front end of thescoop to the front end of the auxiliary frame. 2() is acoil-spring braceconnecting the front end of this frame to the front end of theouterframe and forming a yielding support to the auxiliary frame whenthe latter is in operative position. In rear of the scoop is the rack2l, of the same width as the scoop, supported at its front end upon thelatter and at its rear end by the bars or rods 22. The front end of thescoop is formed with a cutting-edge and is mounted in an inclinedposition, and it is further inclined by the depression or lowering ofthe front end of the auxiliary frame, the pitch of the scoop varyingwith such depression or lowering, and when not in use the scoop israised entirely clear of the ground.

It will be observed that the operation'of this machine is compound, inthat when the point of the scoop enters the ground as the implement isstarted forward simultaneously therewith the endless apron 1.2,with itshookshaped teeth l5, is moved rapidly, the points of the teeth enteringthe ground adjacent to the point of the scoop, and that the broadenedpoints of these teeth will dig up the earth to aid the scoop in enteringthe ground, and will also aid in conveying the earth and potatoes upwardand over the scoop, discharg- IOO ing them upon the rack 21, where theiiner particlesof earth drop through between theY bars and the potatoesare discharged of the rear end of the rack onto the top of the ground.

Having thus described iny invention7 the following is what I'elaim asnew therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of the main frame, the shaft journaled on the rearend of the frame, having outer and inner sprocket-wheels, the

' drive-wheels having sprocket-rings, the axle on which the main frameis supported, the. auxiliary frame hinged to said shaft, having` beltworking over the inner sprocket-wheels, having cross-bars provided withhook-shaped teeth operating to disintegrate lthe earth in advance of andover the point of the scoop, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the main frame, the shaft journaled on the-rearend of the frame, the inner sprocket-wheels on the shaft, the shaft nearthe forward end of the auxiliary frame having inner sprocket-wheels, andthe endless belt workingover the sprocket-wheels, consisting of thechains and pairs of crossbars, the front cross-bars havin g-hook-shapedteeth secured thereto adapted to rest on the rear cross-bars,substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set 1n y hand this 2d day of March,1888.

. ERASTUS M. BAKER.

In presence of- H. P. DENIsoN, C. WV. SMIT-H.

